Retail Therapy

Shopping literally is like a therapy to me, or should I say window shopping? I'll admit its rare that I come home with nothing, but I like to make sure I'm getting a good (if not the best) deal. In the spirit of today's Trendy Tuesday post, I've scoured the internet for some tips & tricks to keep in mind next time you're out looking for a deal.

 

We'll start with Target because lets be honest...I hate shopping at Target, said no one ever. At times Target can be pretty generous with their markdowns. Be sure to check endcaps (shelving @ the end of aisles) for clearance merchandise. See below for a handy schedule of what departments get marked down & when....

• Monday - Kid's clothes, stationary, electronics
• Tuesday - Women's clothes, domestics
• Wednesday - Men's clothes, toys, health & beauty
• Thursday - Lingerie, shoes, housewares
• Friday - Cosmetics, automotives

A personal favorite of mine, TJ Maxx, usually marks their items down on Wednesday (this may vary by store). Ask a manager what days they receive new merchandise & shop the day after, when the employees have had time to get the merchandise onto the sales floor. One great thing about TJ Maxx is their lay-away program: $5 fee, 10% or $10 down (the lesser of the two) & they'll hold the items for 30 days. After you pick up your lay-away, if you decide against something, you can return it with no penalty (with receipt).

 

 

Have an outlet store near you? Tanger offers a coupon booklet for $5. Ask to see the booklet before you purchase, not all the stores in the outlet mall participate & some coupons aren't worth using unless you're purchasing a big ticket item. Sign up for the newsletter via email so you won't miss out on outlet wide events like the Pink Partini & charity events that reward your participation with coupons!

 

 

In general, signing up for email newsletters for stores is  a great way to be informed about sales & receive coupons (create an email address just for this purpose so as not to clog your inbox).

 

 

Another way to be informed about sales & percentages off is friending your favorite stores on Facebook. Frequently, stores will advertise special deals & discounts only to their Facebook fans/friends.

 

I'm not a huge fan of store credit cards, but if you're spending a significant amount it may be the best deal. Almost all stores offer a percentage off just for applying for the store card.

 

Another thing I'm not a fan of is online shopping (for clothes). However, stores will frequently offer deals such as percentages off or free shipping for online shoppers.

 

These are just a few tips for your next shopping trip. Have some tips of your own? Please share with us & our readers in the comment section. Now, get out there & buy something! (cheap)